Amusement ride apparatus



p 1943- s. w. SI-I-IEPHERD 2,328,852

AMUSEMENT RIDE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 26, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 2a :EIBl

I 6/ M 42 z; 'r;" 74

3 x, in 42 77 za m a a a INVENTOR v sawmmwem La -6 @QQSW .Sept. 7, 1 4 s. w. SHEPHERD AMUSEMENT RIDE APPARATUS File d Sept. 26, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 5010/10 (JV/[ 29590 Sept. 7', 1943.

s. w. SHEPHERD AMUSEMENT RIDE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 26, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 V IIIIIIIIIIII.

, 4 I I'll- L E I I INSULATION "INVENTOR same/v msmsweo p 1 is. w. SHEPHERD 2,328,852

AMUSEMENT RIDE APPARATUS Filed S e pt. 26. 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Sad/7M H SHED/ 5P0 Patented Sept 7, 943 i viding' aerial amusement rides;

i It is an object of jthelflinventiohftoypro de 1 a, amuseme ri e a a afii s l 19 h type e passenger carriers are: movedfin "orbital paths i I a thefsaid axis.

nvention relatesltoapparatus other, ob ect of inventidnf is to, provide musernentlride apparatusQof the type above 1 described, infwhichthe'aforesaid horizontalaxis t oflrotation of thepassenger carriers is itself re- 'volvedabout a vertical axissothatthe passenger carriersarefmade to move throughco mplex'orbi sil 1 A-furlthr object of the invention is to provide a, m t or the passenger carriers.

objects ofithe'inven ionandtheadvanence being now had to the drawingsin which; 1 Pi ure is a side elevaticrial iew of the comap" aratus WithpOft iOn of; the base being jillustratedinFigurelLf e 3' is eyr agme' tal we plan jview,

portlcolumnand therotor axle.

ture'shown in Figure 3; Portions ofthevieware emettedfsot o? co se ve a i in urances. I Figure 2fis a front elevational v w of the strucj ill'a'nother object of the inventien is to proa derived therelrorn will, be specifically e d'j,,out asflthedetailed descriptiort"ot-the y ppam s, hereunto annexed; proceeds; refer- E ATE N Y OFF! CE @Qaszassz f Fff i AMU M I 'I RI E kerfijsi soib ihon Shepherd; (lakland, j Malawian separa e 2s, miej s efl n 41, 2,333

i (01. Em -3c) tical aneiidribars 9 which are removably secured,

by bolts 111] to apertured lugs IZYfOrIne'd on the column atth lower end-thereof. The upper,

end'jofl, thef'col'umn 1, reference being new Hadfto Figu 9-4, is provided. with a separate, rotatable,

vertical coliinm extension I3.havi1'1g at its upper end an integral, axially horizontal, tubularaxle 14 mounted thereon and extending equidistantlyin" opposite directions beyond the axis of the column extension I 3. l 'The journal for the column exten-- sion 13 comprises amburarstem l6 attached to the formeryand extending downwardly, into the v upper, endlof 'th'e column [the stem 1 6 being. en- 'gaged bearings ll whichare pressed, or other;

Wisefsecuredflin the end ofthe, column. A ball ,veland compactdrivefor eifectirigthelrnove thrustYbeai'ing I8, which bears the load or, the

axle MQand its"atta'ched mechanism, to be described presentlyjis carried by llppo rt rings I9, and I2} mounted re'spectively, on the, lowerend ofthefcdliiinri extension 13 andon the upper end pf! the column I; "Mounted on and extending irom b oth'endsiof theiaxlei fl arerotorj studs 22 carrying bearings 23 which journal the hubs 24 of "the I rotors. Each rotorbomprises structural steel arms zs extending in opposite directions from," and connected for rotation with, the hubs v24. Each rotorjis providedjwith a distal end extension 2 1,W iGh' is "positioned closer to thefaxis 7 of thecolunin l than the main, or central portion i to an a m r ed, s l of a mm of h 1* a para u centered 'arouird'the upper end of the main supto: t e Str brolgen away and other portionsiuthereof are showninverticalvsection so as to more clearly bring outlthe featuresof internal constructioni v 5 isafragmentalyside elevationalfvijew,

drawn to an enlarged scale, of the distal endporf "tionjof oneofthe rotors. a igure 6 isa fro t levationalview,:partly in Ye talp ectioni ft t u r h wnnnate 5;ff'lheplane in whichtheview is taken is inf create y the 11m, a e of t latter! gure:

apparatusofmyinventidn e i e 13 escribing the invention in,dtail,jthe"appara+ tus cornprises anfaxiallv vertical,ftubulafsupnort ,colum nTI provided, we stability,fwith three? or A nijqrer ont l aq at na, romi r i' i basearm ath M wh ch i p idee ilwei-w of thejrotor and is connectedwit h the latter pore,

tioniof the rotor by'a boxgu'sset 28, orsimilar connecting'means. Castings 29 or their equivalent, SBCllldtO the extreme outer" end of eachrotor extensionil, are bored to receive the shanks 3| oflcarfriage studs'32 which project, as shown in the drawings, outwardly-With respect to the foolumn 1'. Suitabletruss rods 30 are provided con necting the arms 26, adjacent" their central ;por-

tions, with the box gussets 28 so as to enhance the I rigidity of the arms 26 and to relieve some of the bending strain on the box g ussets. A nut 33, or similar means, is provided for securing the shanks 3| in the castings Z9, Journaled on th carriage studs 32 are sleeves to the outerends of which are connectedthe frames 33,.ofjpassenger carriag es 31 each equipped withsuitable seats.) The axis of each carriage is horizontally parallel with, thefsu'rfaceof the groundi ,StrutsBS extendan gularly from flanges 39, "formed 'integrallywith the sleeves I34,,to thetrames 36 of, the: respective carriages; and each sleeve 3'4Thas formed integrally therewith a sprocket Q I. It will be seen that whenthe rotors 26 ar ifioved about mere- ,tational. axis 'thereofjwhich is the aXisof the bearings ,2 3, the carriages?! will bermad to pass through a circular orbit whose center coincides both horizontal and vertical axes.

, be'seen that, due to the inward offsetting of the I ii s e n se en with the said axis of the bearings. It will also be seen that if thecolumn extension !3 is rotated, while therotors 26 are rotating, the orbits along which thecarriages pass will be complex, being a combination of rotary-movements about It will also outer ends of the rotors, the carriages 3'1 are brought "closer to the axis of thdcol'umn i thereby reducing the width of the apparatus.

Mechanism is provided for driving the rotors 28,'which'mechanism'is best illustrated in Figures 3 ad 4. Depending from the axle Hi is a bracketAZ carrying adrive motor 43 whose drive shaft' dd enters a housing-i6 mounted, any

suitable manner such as by the bosses Al on the column extension l3. The'rhotondrive shaft 3 1 is fitted with a sprocket 48 meshing with a chain d9 which also engages a larger sprocket 5! car- I rie'd eyewitnesses r 52 journaleclj in the housiffi "a d'extending therefrom intoa gear; cured tothehousingby suitable" i, s'the s rews es. Securedto the counteri ass 52', w thin th gear o es, is a bevel pinion fit'fmeshing witha pair of bevel gears '55: which from," thdgear box 53; The outer ends tr the ,jack shaits a are journaled in bearings tate ried by the smear support arrnsiil: attached to a ext i rad a r h axl 14,; n are fittedwith sprockets 6 2 connected, byjchains 6'3 'w'ithkandfto ar er sprockets" at ain d bytherotor hubsld. "Current toejnergizethe motor 33 is fconducted throughsuitable leads which, pass through aftubula'rl post 166 depending from theibo'ttomfof the motor {it and mounted therefonfby means of 'a fldraclg'et f6! These leads are connfected to spring: metal brushes 3'63 have ing their anchored ,end'sl supported by "anfinsu latifhg, sleeve ts mounted 'on theiow'e'r' entrees ptsttt, tii e' rr'ee;endsjdr mistr ss s fee bearin against metallic collector rings ,H fcarrie'd by, an mounted on the stationary It willbe se a ma the: em 9,; rms wiuifiitste the countess-an 52 causing ts bevel pin on 5s ta rotate thebeyfel' gears; 5l and'f'co hsoiiehtly the jack shafts .58, in opposite directions. to drive the chirisbt tn r byirotatihgthe rotors 2t s'yh chro'il any in qu stions so as to. move the passenger hrough their eir cuiar eibits about ahorizontalaiii's. I 5

Means'is' revise s. s emmin the 'sengercarriag es, orbital mov'efiint,

as times e an ev n i 's s e as,- sengers are always seated in an ,L'ip'right position; Secured in, an extending axiany'fcutwardly; iror'n' each rotor stud 22,; is ,a Stub shaft rttgr as. nererrm g now to Figures "sane-a ria chains l5 {engagesprockets Tl carried by counterj h ts tat joilrnaled. in; suitable bearings flajpijo;

. vi'de'd in thefbox' gusset's 28, the countersh'aift 1 t" e n e ffii d .Wiih,. k t o, h inf t with chains 32 "extending foutwardly "and n g i is the sprocijretsfdihcarried; by the 'sleeyesfi l, The main pair of sprockets H "and M 'rnustfco'n';

'p'p'ly 1eads, not showii; may, re 'e'dtivecollector rings, 1].

v asset tain' the same number of teeth and the intermediate pair of sprockets l1 and BI may be smaller or larger than the main pair but must also contain, relatively, the same number of teeth It will be seen that, since the dual sprockets 1 4 are fixed and the ratio between the latter sprockets and the sprockets 4! carried by the carriage frame is unity, the passenger carriages will be,

synchronously rotated with the rotors 26 but in an opposite direction therewith so that the position of the passengers will remain perpendicular to the surface of the ground at all times during 1 "therotation of the rotors 26.

- Means is provided for bodily rotating the ro-I tors and "their connected passenger carriers Extending upwardly through bearings 83 and 84 formed, respectively,

a vertical axis.

an tiiesutport ring 19 and in the bottom of the gear case 53, is a shaft 86 provided with a bevel pinion Bl, which meshes with wthe bevel gearsi'l, and with'a pinion f8 3' W1iiC h meshes aring gear 89 fixed on the pr anybther convenient stationary portionbf the column 1, It willbe seenth'at, during sa -a oh 2 iel t a ed t s ar e iae'k;i, =l $5 56 haled in, and extending in oppos ite directions Y barrage s1 he i tiite'fiietor msy be e plo'ye .varia e s1 I rijages carried by ans 'jourrjiald' 0 or the :countershaft fete; the bevel pinion 81 "will be rotated, through the bevel gefars 5 1, thus as;

tati'ng the shaft is and its pinion a; which 'will cause the column extension liarrd all the I apparatus, includingitherotors 26, carriedfo h er eby to rotate ebon about the fans of: the fcolun n '8. Thus themes-se se carriages will follow an orbital path which s the resultant o the m teryimoveme'nt'ofr the "rate 26, about the'horital axis or'the "axle it, and the rotary ng e n't otjth'e rotors aboutlthe vertical axis tithe column 1. Thus depending upon the relative rates of rota tion about the, aforesaid'jhori'zontal in vrtical'faiies, (the pathoescribejd I53, ea

on p pneryjofr an ax ally .vert'ica'l barrelshaped cylinder wh c'i'se maximum radius rs-the di tance from thelaxisof, the column 'L to the horizontal,

and descending traced en the-satire h of therotors hematite enemy; cal to- 't" on'of are. axle J Liit is 'obvious tha eparate 'wi'tlidiit'fdep i ei ei e sp r t, f i. a eted rho'tors. a1 e employed, a; wide riety of o rb carriers may be 'bssSedQdan be ottaihe'a: Havi thus described iiiv'ritioni 'inldetail, h t; te m a a a ters Patent is;

1. An amusementride apparatus c'oinprisir'ig vertical cdurnn, a horiabi'ftal, ant lrnounted,

es hews i-j e zi ip a tr e thereof, rotors -e a cl1 v com ral' sitely directed arms radiatln'g 'frofn "opp ite ends;

of and journaled. on said aide, passenger carends of" said rotor arias a mote said axle, means'connect to be retreats opp osite directions, tysaidmttdr,

means for rotatin said i p'as counter to the rotation of d rotors {at unity" ram smmeans c nectin m or to rotate saidaxle is: out the vertical exis b'r said ernentfr se ssp raes vertical commit, iidritdritsiexile mounted in the iormof acyclojd traced sees it set'niety sense m i e comprising 1 ama s if said column andrrotatable about the yertlcal axis thereon. rotors: 'eachyfiomp s gi tegra 1 0pm:

ends of said rotor armsg :ing, each jackashait and a rotor for, rotation togetheni means connectingsaid axle 'forf rotai tiofnabygsaid motor-about theivertical axisjof said column; and meanswconnecti ng saidgpassen-Y ger carriages for'rotationsynchronously with and in opposite directions with respect tolsaidg rotors.

,t:t3.,.An amusementlrideapparatus comprisinga rtical column; a lhorizcntalg,axlemounted on said column and rotatableaboiit th vertical axis sitely directed arms radiating from opposite ends of and journaled on said axle,g pas'sengerf,carv riages carried by and journaled; on the: outer ends of said rotor armsfamotorf mounted on said axlqjack-shafts carried by saidaxle 'means a connecting said jack-shafts to be rotated in opiposite directions by said motor; means connectrespect to sai'c lfrotors. 1,; j eiiAn amusement'ridjapparatus comprising a vertical column, a horizolntal axle mounted on said column andqrotatable ,abput the vertical taxis thereof, rotors each; comprising integral op lpositely dire tedar s rr i from; o osite ends of and; ljqurn led on sa de Passenger?" carriages carried by, and journaled on the} outer '{ends of saidrotor armspfixedsprook tssecured a d. onally, e a in @said; fixed fin v ie fix 1 h sprockets, ,of ,the passenger carriages-, a motor mounted on said axle;jaok shafts carriedby said,

'axle,rgearing connecting said jack shafts jwithi Asaid motor to berotated,in opposite directions by the latter, sprockets respectiyely bn said jack-shafts andsaid rotors, endlessf'drive chains connecting the jack-shaft and rotor sprockets,

umn and driven by said motorffor' effectingrela- 5; An amusement ride apparatus comprising oumaled in the annular bearings of said upper end of the column, a thrust bearing interposed thereof, rotors ,each, s co nprisin'g ntegral} oppotive' rotation between said axle and said column.

avertica1 tubular column,- annular bearings in I theupper end of said'column, an upwardly directed column extension axially alined with and s between adjacent ends of said column and @said ingteach jack-shaft and arotor ior rotation to H gether, means connecting said axle and said, "col-1" umn for;relat-ive=rotation,.and rneansgconnecting said passenger-[carriages for rotation syn chronously with andin lopposite directions with to thefends of said axleg sprocketsmounted oni passenger carriages; endless chains trac-g and gearingconnecting said axle and said col- "column extension, a horizontal axle carried, by

prising a'rrns radiating from said axle andjjour ,tractionally engaging the fixed sprockets :of said ournaled onsaid axleg nean-s, connecting Said naled on said. bearing 'studs qthereQj rdrive "sprockets sec'uredtoand rotatable with saidrotors, passenger carriages carried by and jour-I naled at the outer-ends ofsaid arms, said pas senger carriages each having adrivesprocket mounted thereonand-rotatable therewith, chains laxle and a, the sprockets of said "passenger" carriages; a motor carried by said axle, jacksha fts said column extension; said axle at the ends n thereof being providedwith axially alined bear- 1 ing studsand fixed sprockets, rotorsea-qh com said motor; In

j saidf colu opposite directions; sprockets on said jack-shafts,

,chains tractionally engaging -the jack-shaft I sprockets and thegdrivegsprocketsof saidfrotors,

, a geartzfixed on saidjcolumn; aj pinioncarried by and journaledq on, said:column extension and H meshingwith said columnfigear, and means conj ha d t e ro t wb necting asaid; pinio naledin theannular bearings oi said upper end of :theicolummfa thrust bearing interposedbe-H tweeniadla-cent en-ds of said column andsaidl' col V umn extension, a hcrizontal axle carriedby said colunm extension, said axle at the ends thereot, being provided withaxially alinedbearing studs and fixed sprockets, rotors each comprisingarms radiating from saidaxleand journaled orr said bearing studs thereon drive sprockets securedto and rotatable with; i said ,rotorsrjfpassenger car; riages carried by and journaledat the outerends of said-arms, said passenger carriages each having atdrives-procket, mounted thereonemd re-1 tatable therewith, chainstractionally engaging theiixed sprockets ofsaid axle and thesprockets of said passenger carriages; amotor carried 11 by said axle, jack-shafts-journaled on said axle,

means connecting said motontodrive said jack; shafts simultaneously 7 in opposite directions, sprockets on said jack-shafts, chains ;,tractionally'fengagin-g the jack-shaftsprockets and the drive sprockets of said rotors, a, ring gear secured 'togjand concentric with the upperend of said column, a shaft journaled on said column extension, apinion, carriedby said shaft and rneshin with said ring, gear, and: gneans connectin said,

pinion, shaft, babe-rotated y; i m t a 7.-*A n amusement riden apparatus comprising yertical tubular colurnn annular bearingsin the upper end- -o f'usaid column, anupwardly di rec ted column extensionaxially ali ned witl'i' ar id journaled in the annularbearingsof said 'pper end ofthe column, a thrust bearing ine posed,

between adjacentendsof said column and said *co-lumnfj'extension, fa"horizontal[aide-carried by s Q extension, said axle at the ends thereof beingprovided with axially alined Qbear ing studs and fixed sprocketsgrotors each com-if prisingarms radiating from said axleand journaledon-saidabearing studsthereof,drivesprockg, ets secured toand rotatableswith said rotors) passengerrcarriages carried by and journaled at theouter ends of said arms, saidpassenger car riages each having a drive sprocketlmounted thereon and rotatable therewith, chains tractionally engaging the fixed sprockets of said axle and ,the sprockets of said passengercarriages, a motor carried by said axle, a'g ear b'ox mounted on said axle, 2 said gear boxfhavingtherein acountershaft ,providedjwith abevel pinion and bevel gears meshing with said bevel "pinion andniount edon jack shaftsjextending in opposite directions from said gear box and directedtoward the or opposite ends ;of said i axle; said gear box also having therein a bevel drive pinion meshing with saidbevel gears and mounted on adrive shaft," extending downwardly from said gear box to a position adjacent the upperend of said column,

,. motortodriye said jack shaftsjsimultaneouslyiny t'ride apparatus, comprising a vertical, tubular, column,- annular bearings in the upper? end of :saidicolumn; an upwardly directed column extension axially alined, with and jour a ver ticahtubular-comm the upper end of said rected column extension axiallyaimed" dn d I journaled inthe annular hearings of-said mpiper "end of the column, a'ti n ust bear inginterposed between adjacent ends ofjsaid ooliimn and said oiumn extension; a horizox-itallaxle earriedb y 7 said" column extension, said ax V I thereof being previded vjitlr ax ally fali-ned beariii'gs ds fixe'd'sprockets, rotorseach so ism yams ra iatingirom sam me and-flour apinion s'e Cured to land rotatabi e with esl r with saidning gear. ideapbaratus=comprisine na'led on said 16 e aring'stud'sthereof; drive sprockets -secured to androtatalolef ivith 'said rotors,

said rotor arms; at the-outep-ends thereof, being provided-"Withextensions horizontallyofiset to- War-d the-axis of saidfoolumn, coiintershaits jour- H naled in saidrotor arms intermediatethe'ends thereof and-the -axisfof said axle; sprocketsse- Cured to and rotatable withjsaid countershaf ts,

7 passenger carriages carried. by andijonr'na le'd at 1 the outer-ends of said rotor, extensions, said passengen-carriages projecting outwardly from said -rotor' extensions awayirom said axis-0f the column andeaoh having a sprocket secured "to and rotatable"therewithylooped drive chains 7 tractionally engaging the vfixedi 'sprockets of said axle "and sprockets of said o ountershaft-andalso the: sprockets of (said passenger carriagesfan-d sprockets ofsaid countershafh a motor mounted o-n-{ said axle, jack shaft'sjournaled onsaid axle feach having asprocl zet secured to and rotatable therewith, chains tract-ionall'y engaging said jack shaft sprockets and'the drive sprockets of said rotors; gearing connecting-said jack-shafts Y with and to be rotated in opposite directions by said motor, and'gearin'g 'interpos'ed'betwe en ad- *jacentv en ds of said colurrin and said column-extension and conn ecte dto be "driven 'by said motor so 'as' to efiect relative rotation between said 001- v umn and'saidoolu'mnextension. 9.";AI1' amusement ride apparatus comprising a, vertical itub na ."colunin, -a'nnuiar bearings in thenppeffen'd 0T Said.'C0lUInn{fa}I1fllpWaidly di rected oolumn e'xtens'ionj axially alined with and rive "snaait,

annular hearings: :in 7

at the ends sw m eased 'to saidfodlumn beneemtric and -adis-cent the upper end thereo iournald in shaman-m hearings of said upper v endiof the =Golu'mn, 1a. hrust bearing-interposed 7 "adjacent ends i of said column andwaid column eittensionpa horizontal :axle carried by coiumn extension wsaid axle at the ends fihredf b'eing-PTOVidGd axially \alinedbear mg studs and fixed sprookeds; rotors veach =1com'- "prising gain-1s 'radia ting iromasaiid axleaand j'ournale'd -on saidbeairing studs thereof; drive). sprockets secured toand rotatable. with said rotors:-said-rotorarms;atrthe olrterends th'ereof;

being provide'd' 'with extensions horizontally offset towfa-rd fiire ax is of said column, countershaA-fts journalist? in said wtor arms intermediate the endsthereof and the axis of said axle; sprockets v securedto'and' depending from said eolumn ex- 7 tension through wliichciirrent' co nduotors co n- 1 nectedwith said motor may be Zpassed; :and flexibl'eeurreiit colleeting #brushes carried by and passenger earr iages carried by and journal'edat the out er endsof 'said rotor arm extensions, vsaid passenger carriages proje'otin'g outwardly from I said retorextensions away from said axis of the column-and each h'aving a-spro-cketins'ecured to and rotatable therewith, looped drive clriai ns tradtisn'ally' engagingflthe fixedsprockets of said axle and sprockets-dismal eountershamand also '25 the sprokets of;said'passenger cazrriages and sprockets of said-"counters'haft, a r-motor" mounted on saidaiil'e, -jak=shafts journaled' on. said axle eachhaving a sprocket secured.- to and "rotatable therewith; Chains traciiionally i-ngaging said jajdls-s'haft spr'o-eketsand the-drive sprockets of said rotors, gear-l ng connecting said jack-shafts with and to be rotated in oppositedi rections by' saidmotor, a ring -gear secured to said column adjacent the upper end thereof, apinion j our- ;naled on' saidoolmnn extensionand meshing I With-said ring gear, means connecting said :pinion v to he rotated by said motoiz a -1olura'lity of Girciiiar eiir-renbf-conductor rings-mounted concen- I trica'll'y on and insulated from said column-and positioned adj acent said ring gear, a :tubular post insulated =from said pest, sa id brushes being in contac't with said 'oirciilar' current conductor "current conductorsofsaid'niotor. I 7

w ,hSOTJOMONhWfiSI-IEPHERDL I'i n'gs'and being electrical-1y conneoted-with said i i 

